The Criterion Collection

[SammyJankis]

I was eager to give Stalker a second viewing a couple of months ago, so I rented it from the library. Got through about two minutes of it and turned it off. I want my second viewing to be on a blu that boasts a transfer that's actually great.

Hoping Criterion releases it soon.

EDIT: It was also my first Tarkovsky, which is why I'm so eager to revisit it. I've since checked out everything else he has done, save for Andrei Rublev (which I'm waiting for a blu release) and The Sacrifice (which I own.) I'd recommend checking out Solaris, mainly because it's not that different from Stalker and it has a really great transfer. The Mirror is extraordinary, but I think you really need to be on his wavelength before giving that one a go.

[SilentDawn]

Originally Posted by Polaroid

The mirror!

I've just added it to my Netflix queue along with Solaris and Andrei Rublev.

Originally Posted by SammyJankis

I was eager to give Stalker a second viewing a couple of months ago, so I rented it from the library. Got through about two minutes of it and turned it off. I want my second viewing to be on a blu that boasts a transfer that's actually great.

Hoping Criterion releases it soon.

I found the DVD transfer to be quite good on its own terms, even though a Criterion Blu-ray would do wonders in terms of enhancing the viewing experience.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by SilentDawn

I've just added it to my Netflix queue along with Solaris and Andrei Rublev.



I found the DVD transfer to be quite good on its own terms, even though a Criterion Blu-ray would do wonders in terms of enhancing the viewing experience.

I love Solaris, I find the car shot, which was meant to be make people bored so those who have short attention span left cinema, so only thought who had patience would stay so funny, but well done lol - the 30 seconds of weightlessness is such a powerful scene, I'm a huge fan of the Bach piece used though.

Not seen Andrei yet, I have the Artificial Eye box set of all his films which is a great box set to have, just wish Criterion would get all his out of Blu :P

Tarkovsky's imagery is incredible though, and his special effects is better than what is being down today!

Mirror is defiantly my favourite Tarkovsky, its a very personal film but some powerful imagery in it.

[The Great Owl]

I was planning to go see The Great Beauty at a local theater today, but the rainy weather outside and the traffic downtown due to ball games compel me to stay home instead of driving to the other side of the city.

I just finished watching Otto Preminger's Where the Sidewalk Ends. This is another winner in my collection, and I loved seeing Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney onscreen together again. Karl Malden, who played the priest in the Criterion title, On the Waterfront, is featured in another great no-nonsense role here. I'd love to see 20th Century Fox work the same magic for a Blu-ray release of this that they did for Laura and Panic in the Streets.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by thompsonjohn

For people who have their finger on the pulse of future Criterion releases, what are the odds of "Short Cuts" being upgraded to blu-ray anytime soon?

Nothing's being whispered. The original DVD release was a hell of a package: it included a special printing of the Carver collection of short stories. A later reprinting of the DVD didn't have the book.

[jw007]

With all this negative feedback on The Great Beauty, I've been convinced not to see this film now.

[JJJ225]

Originally Posted by jw007

With all this negative feedback on The Great Beauty, I've been convinced not to see this film now.

Your loss! Missing out on a great film.

[Polaroid]

Originally Posted by jw007

With all this negative feedback on The Great Beauty, I've been convinced not to see this film now.

See it! Make your own judgement! I personally can't fault it.

[jw007]

Well, I meant, I'm not going to see this film in the movie theater and pay $10 (its still playing at a local arthouse theater until Thursday). Instead I will just borrow it on DVD from the library when it becomes available later this year.

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by SilentDawn

I just watched Stalker for the first time last night, and it was my first film that I have seen from Tarkovsky.

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Stalker needs a Blu-ray release ASAP, because the cinematography blew me away. The story was beautiful, following these characters as they discovered their own flaws. I loved every slow and wonderful moment of it.

It's a 5/5 from me. So, what should be my next film from Tarkovsky?

PS: I would love to see Stalker being released by Criterion.

This is how I rate Tarkovsky's films, in descending order:

(1) Andrei Rublev
(2) Ivan's Childhood
(3) The Sacrifice
(4) Nostalghia
(5) Stalker
(6) The Mirror
(7) Solaris

[jayembee]

Originally Posted by Infernal King

I came across an interesting alternate perspective of The Great Beauty via film critic MaryAnn Johanson:



For context, this is part of her article I am officially tired of being asked to sympathize with men in movies.

I certainly see where she's coming from, but I think the quality (and value) of any work of art is independent of whether one can identify with the subject. I can't identify with someone who desires to drink himself to death, but that didn't keep me from thinking Leaving Las Vegas was an amazing film. And I'm sure that most (and hopefully all) of the people who like The Silence of the Lambs don't identify with a cannibal.

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by jw007

With all this negative feedback on The Great Beauty, I've been convinced not to see this film now.

The Great Beauty looks like it's right up my alley when it comes to that side of me that enjoys Terrence Malick movies, Fellini films, etc. I just don't want to sit in traffic on a rainy Sunday afternoon for a trip across the city to the theater. Especially since I'll be doing that on Tuesday to go see The 400 Blows at Midtown Art Cinema.

Besides, I've got an unacceptable backlog of still-unwatched Blu-rays and DVDs in my collection right now here at home. I was caught up on everything for a good year or so, but I now have a ton of film noirs, a few Westerns, a Buster Keaton box set, a handful of Criterions, and, well, a whole Zatoichi set sitting here. Combine that with the fact that I've spent a lot more time running outside over the past few weeks, since my foot injury that plagued me for almost a year is now behind me. I mean, I'll still be purchasing cool discs (Persona in a couple of weeks, etc.), but I should be a little more judicious with my time.

[starman15317]

I rented The Great Beauty on iTunes before the Oscars. It was an interesting watch, but it ultimately feels like a La Dolce Vita rip off to me. I really couldn't sympathizer with the lead.

[Ausjdm]

Originally Posted by JJJ225

I totally agree we should have more films with female leads, but is seems totally random to pick on The Great Beauty for not having a female lead.

I also don't think the film asks you to identify with the main character.

Well As James brown said, it's a man's world... Lol jk but I think most male driven movies and tv shows are based on the anti-hero obsession we've had recently. True detective, sopranos, breaking bad, ray Donovan, American hustle, wolf of wall st. most thief/heist movies, gangster films, car movies etc. Are there any female Anti-heroes? I can't recall one right now??

[zoodermin]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Well As James brown said, it's a man's world... Lol jk but I think most male driven movies and tv shows are based on the anti-hero obsession we've had recently. True detective, sopranos, breaking bad, ray Donovan, American hustle, wolf of wall st. most thief/heist movies, gangster films, car movies etc. Are there any female Anti-heroes? I can't recall one right now??

Claire Underwood - House of Cards.

[CHEЯNOБLY!]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Are there any female Anti-heroes? I can't recall one right now??

In recent years...

Homeland
Girls
Nurse Jackie
Weeds
Scandal
Damages
Red Widow
American Horror Story
The Americans
Orange is the New Black
Young Adult
Girl w/ Dragon Tattoo
Evil Dead (2013)
You're Next
Carrie (2013)
Kick-Ass 2
Frances Ha
Black Swan
American Hustle
Melancholia (Justine)
Blue Jasmine (just won best actress Oscar)
Nymphomaniac
Silver Linings Playbook
Breaking Bad (Skylar)
Winter's Bone (I think qualifies)

Earlier...

Kill Bill vol. 1
Kill Bill vol. 2
Rachel Getting Married
Catwoman (any film she appears in)
Foxy Brown
Jackie Brown
Fish Tank
3 Women
Thelma & Louise
Domino
Bonnie & Clyde
Nights of Cabiria
Repulsion
Belle de Jour
Vivre sa Vie
Jules and Jim (Catherine)
Vagabond
Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

[jw007]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

The Great Beauty looks like it's right up my alley when it comes to that side of me that enjoys Terrence Malick movies, Fellini films, etc. I just don't want to sit in traffic on a rainy Sunday afternoon for a trip across the city to the theater. Especially since I'll be doing that on Tuesday to go see The 400 Blows at Midtown Art Cinema.

Besides, I've got an unacceptable backlog of still-unwatched Blu-rays and DVDs in my collection right now here at home. I was caught up on everything for a good year or so, but I now have a ton of film noirs, a few Westerns, a Buster Keaton box set, a handful of Criterions, and, well, a whole Zatoichi set sitting here. Combine that with the fact that I've spent a lot more time running outside over the past few weeks, since my foot injury that plagued me for almost a year is now behind me. I mean, I'll still be purchasing cool discs (Persona in a couple of weeks, etc.), but I should be a little more judicious with my time.

Now I'm starting to want to see this film again suddenly after reading more about it. Alright, $9.25 it shall be, arthouse theater.

[jw007]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Well As James brown said, it's a man's world... Lol jk but I think most male driven movies and tv shows are based on the anti-hero obsession we've had recently. True detective, sopranos, breaking bad, ray Donovan, American hustle, wolf of wall st. most thief/heist movies, gangster films, car movies etc. Are there any female Anti-heroes? I can't recall one right now??

How about Scarlett's character from that upcoming film "Under the Skin"? Looks like a female anti-hero to me!

[The Great Owl]

Originally Posted by Ausjdm

Are there any female Anti-heroes? I can't recall one right now??

Tess (Nastassja Kinski) in Roman Polanski's Tess
Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) in Gone with the Wind
Nikita (Anne Parillaud) in La Femme Nikita (1990)
Irene Girard (Ingrid Bergman) in Europe '51
Karen (Ingrid Bergman) in Stromboli
Debby Marsh (Gloria Grahame) in The Big Heat
Gloria (Gena Rowlands) in Gloria (1980)

Originally Posted by jw007

How about Scarlett's character from that upcoming film "Under the Skin"? Looks like a female anti-hero to me!

If the movie follows Michel Faber's novel, which I read a couple of weeks ago, then it would not be a stretch to consider Scarlett Johansson's character an antihero. I've heard that the movie differs from the book quite a bit, but I imagine that the overall gist of the character will remain in effect.

[Edward J Grug III]

Originally Posted by The Great Owl

I was planning to go see The Great Beauty at a local theater today, but the rainy weather outside and the traffic downtown due to ball games compel me to stay home instead of driving to the other side of the city.

I just finished watching Otto Preminger's Where the Sidewalk Ends. This is another winner in my collection, and I loved seeing Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney onscreen together again. Karl Malden, who played the priest in the Criterion title, On the Waterfront, is featured in another great no-nonsense role here. I'd love to see 20th Century Fox work the same magic for a Blu-ray release of this that they did for Laura and Panic in the Streets.

I eagerly await a blu ray release of Where the Sidewalk Ends myself! We watched it last year and it really blew us away!